Sponge type applicator



March 19, 1963 A. MOSHEIM SPONGE TYPE APPLICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IVENTOR.

Filed Aug. 16, 1961 ALBERT MOSHEIM BY 414, W,

WAM

ATTORNEYS.

March 19, 1963 A. MOSHEIM SPONGE TYPE APPLICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1961 INVENTOR' ALBERT MOSHEIM ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Office 3,081,476 Patented Mar. 19, 1963 3,081,476 SPONGE TYPE APPLICATOR Albert Mosheiin, 10 N. Ridgewood Road,

, South Orange, NJ. Filed Aug. 16,1961, Ser. No. 131,790 3 Claims. (Cl. 15-244) This invention relates to improvements in artificial sponge cleaning devices, and in particular relates to a device of this type which is unusually attractive, while at the same time eifective in use.

One object of this invention is to provide a sponge-type applicator or cleaning device having a plurality of individual sponge elements adapted to move independently of each other and shaped toproduce an over-all attractive appearance, such as the appearance of asimulated flower.

' Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the above-described type, wherein the individual elements are of varying colors.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality of strips of thin sheet-like, flexible, resilient, compressible sponge material of various colors are superposed. These strips have spaced transverse cutouts extending to each elongated edge thereof to define edge elements of the strips between successive cut-outs. The edge elements are preferably shaped to simulate flower petals. The superposed strips are wound spirally on themselves to form a roll, and the roll is gathered and compressed intermediate its ends, by stitching or other suitable means, so that the edge elements are fanned outwardly.

The resulting product is of striking multi-colored, flower petal-like appearance, and it will be apparent that this effect is produced easily and economically. At the same time, the product is extremely effective in use, be-

cause the individual petal elements can move independently of each other and are well adapted to scrubbing operations.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in conjunction with the annexed drawings which discloses my invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the product in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation of the product;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the product;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the strips from which'the applicator is formed;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the partially formed roll formed by winding a plurality of superposed strips;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the completed product with the hanging cord omitted, and illustrating a variation of the gathering means position; and

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic section on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

The drawings are substantially to scale, and reference is made to the drawings to complete the disclosures herein. More particularly, FIG. 4 discloses a fragmentary portion of the strip from which the applicator is made, indicated generally by 10. The strip 10 is a generally elongated segment having a serrated bottom edge 16 and scalloped upper edge 15. Intermediate the integral lower projections 11 the strip is provided with slits 13 extending from the lower edge to the central part of the strip. Similarly, intermediate the integral upper edge projections 12 the strip is provided with slits 14 extending from the upper edge to the central part of the strip. Thus, the respective slits are equally spaced along the length of the strip. The slits are positioned so that the upper and lower edge slits alternate along the length of the strip, the position of the lower edge slit corresponding substantially with the mid-point of the upper projections and the position of the upper edge slit corresponding substantially with the mid-point of the lower projections.

The strip may be made of any suitable synthetic sponge material, such materialsbeing Well known commercially today. For example, strip 10 may be made of a material commonlyjknown as polyurethane foam.

The applicator is formed, optionally and preferably, of a plurality of superposed strips having different colors. These blanks are then wound spirally upon themselves to form a roll. This is clearly seen in FIG. 5. Generally, two sets of superposed strips are used to form the desired roll. More particularly, the first set is wound as described, the second set then being wound about the .the vicinity of the outer end of the first set.

roll formed by the first set with its inner end placed in As a result, the final desired rol-l appears to be formed by one single continuous strip, save for the multi-colored appearance ofthe roll.

Alternatively, the applicator may be formed of strip material that is not superposed one strip upon another. Instead, a single strip having edge elements and slits similar to those described above may be wound into the desired roll. As is readily apparent, a variation of this alternative method of forming the desired rol-l might include a series of single strips, not superposed, but rather wound consecutively, in end-to-end fashion, to form the desired roll. This approximates the method preferably employed to form the desired roll, as discussed above, with the sole exception that single strips are wound rather than sets of superposed strips. As in the preferred method, the single strips may be of difierent colors.

A cord or the like 17a is extended around the periphery of roll 23, drawn tight and knotted at 17b, as shown in FIG. 6, so as to compress the center portion 22 of the roll. Also, the petal elements 20, 21 of both the upper and lower portions, generally indicated respectively by 18 and 19, of the roll 23 formed from the strips 10 respectively spread radially outwardly, as illustrated by FIGS. 3 and 6. The upper portion 18 creates a floral effect by extending upwardly from said gathering means (FIG. 1) and the lower portion 19 by extending downwardly (FIG. 2). Since the cord 17a extends peripherally about the compressed portion of the roll, it maintains the roll in its compressed state and preserves the floral effect thereby created. In order to prevent endwise shifting of the turns of the roll, a thread 17 is extended through the roll and anchored to cord 17a, as shown in FIG. 7. This showing is only diagrammatic since the exact manner in which the thread (17) is applied is not part of the invention.

As indicated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the applicator, optionally and preferably, may be fashioned with a hanging cord 24 that encircles the compressed portion of the roll and has a loop extending outwardly thereof.

The general appearance of this applicator, as viewed in its final floral configuration (FIGS. 1-3), following its transition from first, a single blank, and second, a loose roll, is that of two flower buds in back-to-back relation. Further, due to the direction of the petal elements 20, 21 there is a suggestion of a separation between the upper and lower portions of the applicator, or the two buds, in the vicinity of the gathering means.

In the use of the applicator, each petal element 20, 21 is independently movable, resilient, bendable and flexible. Each finger individually can contact the surface of the object being washed. Accordingly, each petal acts as an individual sponge so that in eifect the applicator consists of a plurality of small individual sponges. The provision of the individual petal elements also permits the cleaning of small crevices. Each petal when struck against the surface of the object being cleaned tends to release Water in individual jets. Thus, the fingers exert a cooperatively independent abrasive action upon a surface when moved thereover. However, the surface of the applicator as a whole also serves as a resilient surface for cleaning large areas.

While I have disclosed preferred embodiments of my invention and have indicated various changes, omissions and additions which may be made therein, it will be apparent that various other changes, omissions and additions may be made in the invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.

What is claimed is: I

1. An applicator comprising a plurality of superposed elongated strips of flexible, compressible, resilient, sponge material wound spirally on themselves to form a roll, said roll having upper and lower end faces defined by the elongated edges of said strips, said strips having spaced transverse cut-outs extending to each elongated edge thereof to define integral edge elements of said strips between successive cut-outs, said strips having slits intermediate said edge elements extending inwardly to the 2 center of said strip from said elongated edges, and means looped about and compressing said roll intermediate the end faces thereof, said edge elements being thereby fanned outwardly in the respective upward and downward directions from said looped means.

2. An applicator according to claim 1, said integral upper edge elements being generally semi-circular thereby defining a scalloped upper edge, said integral lower edge elements being triangular thereby defining a serrated lower edge.

3. An applicator according to claim 1, said strips being of different colors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,290,216 Steinmetz et al. July 21, 1942 2,696,629 Seelenbinder Dec. 14, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 910,236 France Ian. 21, 1946 503,279 Belgium June 15, 1951 

1. AN APPLICATOR COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SUPERPOSED ELONGATED STRIPS OF FLEXIBLE, COMPRESSIBLE, RESILIENT, SPONGE MATERIAL WOUND SPIRALLY ON THEMSELVES TO FORM A ROLL, SAID ROLL HAVING UPPER AND LOWER END FACES DEFINED BY THE ELONGATED EDGES OF SAID STRIPS, SAID STRIPS HAVING SPACED TRANSVERSE CUT-OUTS EXTENDING TO EACH ELONGATED EDGE THEREOF TO DEFINE INTEGRAL EDGE ELEMENTS OF SAID STRIPS BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE CUT-OUTS, SAID STRIPS HAVING SLITS INTERMEDIATE SAID EDGE ELEMENTS EXTENDING INWARDLY TO THE CENTER OF SAID STRIP FROM SAID ELONGATED EDGES, AND MEANS LOOPED ABOUT AND COMPRESSING SAID ROLL INTERMEDIATE THE END FACES THEREOF, SAID EDGE ELEMENTS BEING THEREBY FANNED OUTWARDLY IN THE RESPECTIVE UPWARD AND DOWNWARD DIRECTIONS FROM SAID LOOPED MEANS. 